Crash and Burn
by Storywriter
Summary: The New York Crime Lab is dealing with the murder of a doctor and one of the suspects is someone they dealt with in the past. Follow up to Codename: Trouble. Title is seen through the eyes of my own character.
1. Chapter 1

25 year old Noelle Foster went up to the 12th floor of an office building. In the past few months she'd been feeling depressed from disturbing dreams and unspeakable thoughts. On the advice of her probation officer, she sought therapy. When she got to the floor she needed, Noelle stopped at the desk and signed in. It was just before 12 p.m. on a pleasantly warm day.

" Hey Noelle," the secretary said," Dr. Jenkins should be with you in a moment."

" Thanks Amy."

After a few minutes there was still no word. Amy went to the door and knocked.

" Dr. Jenkins, Ms. Foster is here."

Noelle happened to get up and went to the door behind Amy, who knocked again, still no answer. Amy then opened the door and both of them went in.

" Oh my God," Amy said going back to her desk," Yes, I need assistance here. Send an ambulance right away."

Noelle couldn't move, she just stared at the sight of seeing her therapist slumped over the desk with blood everywhere.

" Oh no. Not again," Noelle thought," This can't be happening."

A little while later the scene had become different. The place was now filled with police and it didn't sit well with Noelle, who had her head down between her knees. At that same moment Detective Stella Bonasara and Detective Danny Messer from the New York Crime Lab were arriving. They saw that their colleague Detective Don Flack was already there.

" Flack," Stella said.

" Dr. Russell Jenkins, age 47. The secretary opened the door after a few minutes of waiting for a response. She along with a client discovered him slumped over the desk. It looks like he was shot."

Stella saw a blond woman standing over by a desk, talking to another officer.

" Amy Winchester, age 28, lives on the upper east side, and has been working here the last two years. The client is sitting right there," Flack said," You might recognize who it is."

Stella and Danny looked to see someone with their head down and then looked up. Stella shook her head.

" That's Noelle Foster," Stella said," What's she doing here?"

" Dr. Jenkins was a well known clinical psychologist," Flack told her," She didn't say much. I would say Noelle is in shock. I didn't talk to her yet. Maybe she'll talk to you Stella."

" Wasn't she the one who ran away from you?" Danny asked," Caused all that trouble in the subway?"

" In the end she was cleared," Stella said," Well, she got probation and community service."

" With the help of you and Mac," Danny said.

" Danny start processing the scene, I'm going to talk to Noelle."

Stella went up to where Noelle was who didn't move. Noelle just watched as she came closer. Stella noticed the Noelle looked the same as she did a few months ago.

" Hi Noelle."

Noelle only nodded her head, pushing some of her blond hair our of her eyes.

" Anything you can tell me will help here."

" I didn't kill him."

Noelle then looked away.

" That sounded so stupid. I already sound guilty."

Noelle looked up to see flashes of light coming from the other room.

" Noelle."

" I don't know what to say. I was seeing Dr. Jenkins because I needed help. My probation officer suggested him to me. I feel so messed up, now it's worse. I don't even know where to begin."

" When did you start coming here?"

" About a month ago. Luckily, my health insurance covered the sessions, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it. Why is this happening to me? It has to be the system. The system wants me."

Noelle then again put her head down. Stella then thought back to what Noelle went through two months prior. She witnessed a murder, but was considered a suspect. In the end it was discovered that she was framed, but not totally innocent. In that time, she ran away and was arrested for obstruction.

Noelle then got up.

" Is there anything else you need detective? I really would like to go home now. I don't know what else to say right now."

" I don't think I need anything else from you at the moment. You still live at the same address?"

" Yes, and my father still ignores me. I feel a little shaky too."

Flack came up to them and heard what Noelle said.

" I've got what I need here for now. I'm heading back to the precinct."

Noelle sighed. She was still uncomfortable around authority figures.

" I'll give you a lift home if you'd like Ms. Foster."

" Thanks. I accept."

" Don't think this is your ticket out," Flack told her.

" Flack, leave her alone for now."

Noelle shook her head.

" You've got something to ask detective, then ask it. Then again, my sessions with Dr. Jenkins are confidential. You have no right to ask about them."

" You're jumping to conclusions. I'm sorry if I sounded hasty."

Noelle nodded her head.

" It's not your fault. I just need someone else to talk to right now, but I don't want it to be used against me."

Noelle then saw more flashes come from the other room. She again let out a sigh.

" There's a lot of work to what you do."

Stella looked at the sad look on Noelle's face.

" Right now, you've nothing to worry about and if we need anything else, I know where to contact you."

" Okay. I've got it. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

Noelle then left with Flack. Danny came out of the room for a brief moment.

" Sounds like she's going to be a problem."

" You don't know her Danny. Noelle is in pain. Her father ignores her and she's again in the middle of a homicide investigation. It looks like there's more to it also."

" Got news for you Stella, it's not your problem to make her feel better."

Danny went back to what he was doing.

" That may be true, but I'll do what I can to make sure she gets the help she needs," Stella thought.

Flack waited at the elevator with Noelle. When the doors opened someone else came out.

" You can't be up here," Flack said," This is a crime scene."

The young lady looked at him, she was with another officer.

" I know that. I'm here about my father. My name is Crystal Jenkins. This officer was kind enough to bring me up here."

Crystal then looked at Noelle.

" You're not arresting her are you? Noelle wouldn't kill my father."

" He's taking me home Crystal."

" Oh. Please can you tell me what happened?"

Stella then came up.

" Flack is something wrong?"

" She can answer your questions, Ms. Jenkins."

Crystal looked at Stella and removed strands of red hair from brown her eyes.

" What's going on? What happened to my father?"

" Ms. Jenkins. I'm Detective Bonasara, I'm from the New York Crime Lab. Your father was murdered, it looks like he was shot.

Crystal sat down on the floor.

" Who would do this? My father was a good man."

" We'll find out and when we do we'll put them away."

Crystal only nodded her head, but it didn't make her feel any better. She wanted answers and whatever she had to do, she was going to get them.


	2. Chapter 2

Stella and Danny went back to the crime lab after processing the area around Dr. Jenkins's office. Stella still couldn't wrap her mind around that fact that Noelle was a part of this case. Deep down she felt that Noelle didn't and won't have murdered her own therapist. Stella shook her head and knew that she had work to do. She ended going into the office of Detective Mac Taylor. Mac just looked at her.

" You look puzzled Stella."

" It's this new case."

" The one at the doctor's office?"

Stella nodded her head.

" What's the problem?"

" It's Noelle Foster Mac."

Mac sat down.

" Noelle?"

" She discovered him along with the secretary Amy Winchester."

Mac nodded his head and thought back on the hell they went through in the previous case Noelle was involved in. Noelle refused to cooperate and ran off. In the end, Noelle was suffering inside and out. Mac helped her stay out of prison and became a mentor to her.

" Mac?"

" I'm trying to wrap my arms around that one. Why was Noelle there?"

" Seeking therapy. Have you talked to her lately?"

Mac shook his head.

" The last time I talked to Noelle was last week. She was leaving the office of her probation officer. This can't be right. Noelle isn't a killer, she's disturbed."

" She still is. Flack and I talked to her. Noelle thinks the system is after her. This case might be a conflict of interest. I want to help her Mac."

Mac got up.

" Did you talk to anyone else?"

" I talked to his daughter Crystal who was highly upset about what happened to her father. I didn't ask her anything else until we know more. I didn't talk much to the secertary Amy Winchester either."

Mac ended up putting on his coat.

" We need to talk to them and Noelle too. We don't have a choice in this Stella. Like it or not, Noelle is a suspect."

" You're right. I don't like it. Noelle has been through hell and being ignored by her father still isn't helping her much either."

Before going to talk to Noelle, Mac and Stella stopped by the medical examiner's officer. Sid Hammerback was still in the middle of the autopsy. Sheldon Hawkes was there assisting him.

" From what I've got so far," Sid said," Cause of death is a single gunshot, right to the heart and the time of death, I would put at sometime early this morning. The body was still warm and liver temperature was 90 degrees. Whoever did this must've hated this guy. Other then that, Dr. Jenkins was in perfect health."

" We pulled a bullet out of him and I gave it to trace to see what they can come up with. I agree with Sid on this, Dr. Jenkins was in perfect shape," Sheldon added.

" Call if you come up with anything else," Mac said," Right now, Stella and I have a few people to talk to."

Mac and Stella left the medical examiner's office. Mac then went back to the lab.

" We'll hold off on talking to anyone for now Stella. Let's look over what we already have. The answer's we need might already be there."

Stella just nodded her head. In the back of her mind, she felt that they got all they needed from Noelle. What they needed to do was to talk to Amy or Crystal. For now that was left alone as well.

It was several hours later, Stella went to go check up on Danny who was still looking over evidence that he collected from Dr. Jenkins office.

" You got anything for me Danny?"

" Tons of fingerprints, which I'm about to run through the system. I have a feeling though, it's that girl Noelle."

" Danny, you don't know about Noelle. Her parents are divorced, her father ignores her, and she thinks the system is trying to get her."

" Maybe it is. She's going to be trouble Stella, I can feel it."

Stella then left the room and went back to Mac's office.

" I think we need to go talk to Noelle now Mac."

" Did you find something?"

" Not yet, but Danny is about to run some fingerprints he found through the system. I just have this feeling that Noelle might've more to say."

Mac nodded his head.

" I think she would be more comfortable talking to us then anyone else," Stella said.

" Let's go see what else she can tell us."

Mac and Stella went to Noelle's apartment. Noelle didn't live in one of the best apartment units, in fact the building itself wasn't the best. Mac ended up knocking on the door.

Inside the apartment, Noelle sat with her head down and heard the knock.

" Go away," Noelle thought," Please go away."

On the other side, Mac knocked again.

" Maybe she isn't home," Stella said.

The two of them then heard movement inside.

" Who's there?" they heard a faint voice.

" It's Detective Taylor, " she heard.

Noelle sighed and opened the door to look at Mac and Stella.

" Detective Taylor. Please come on in."

Noelle stepped aside and Mac came in with Stella. Noelle then shut the door.

" How are you?" Mac asked.

" Not good. Twice in one day. What brings you around now?"

Noelle then sat back down with her head down, but then looked back up.

" Noelle we have some questions for you," Stella said.

" I don't know what else to say, except what I told you before."

" Do you have any idea who would want to harm Dr. Jenkins?" Mac asked.

Noelle shook her head.

" No. Dr. Jenkins was a great man. A family man. He helped me through one of the hardest times of my life. I don't know anyone who would want to kill him."

Noelle again sighed as tears fell from her eyes.

" I've been trying to think of who would want to hurt him, but it's a complete zero."

Noelle got up.

" You could try talking to his daughter Crystal. Maybe she would know something. I don't know much about her, but she seems nice enough."

" We'll do that and if you come up with anything else, feel free to contact us," Stella said.

Noelle just nodded her head.

" I'll keep that in mind."

Mac looked at her and saw the sad look in Noelle's eyes. It was the same look she had when she testified against Jeffery Malton.

" Noelle. What were you doing before you went to Dr. Jenkins office?" Mac asked.

" I was here, alone. I cleaned up the place to keep my mind focused on something else other then my problems. I have nobody to back me up on that though. I guess that doesn't help me much."

Stella couldn't help but see the sad look on her face.

" Noelle, have you been here since Detective Flack brought you home?" Stella asked.

" Yes. I didn't have anywhere else to go. Tomorrow is a different, I have a ton of things to do. Plus, I'm waiting to hear from my mother or my brother. So far, they haven't called back."

" If you do think of anything else, call us, " Mac told her.

Mac and Stella ended up leaving. Their next move was to see if Sid and Sheldon came up with anything else in the autopsy, then it was on to talking to Crystal Jenkins.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day the crime lab continued their work on the Jenkins case. Danny had ran the fingerprints that were found through the system. Most of the prints didn't match, but some did. The lab split up the duties. Mac and Stella were going to talk to Crystal and then to Amy Winchester while Flack decided he would go talk to Noelle. The evening before the lab discovered that Dr. Jenkins was killed with a .22 caliber. Finding the murder weapon was the main part of their investigation.

Mac and Stella went to the home of Dr. Jenkins. The door was answered by his daughter Crystal.

" What can I do for you detectives? Have you got any leads on who killed my father."

" Not at this time, but we're working on it," Stella told her," May I ask where you mother is?"

" My mother got a call from the medical examiner's office. She asked me to stay here with my brother and sister. This has been really hard on the both of us. Another reason she went there was to pick up my father's personal items."

Crystal sat down.

" I don't know how were going to survive this. This isn't easy."

" I know this is hard on you Ms. Jenkins, but is there anyone you can think of who might've had it out for your father?" Mac asked.

" My father was a good man," Crystal said," He dedicated his life to helping others, it's what he loved."

Crystal felt tears in her eyes.

" Crystal we know this is hard for you and we're sorry for your loss," Stella said.

Crystal nodded her head.

" I spent hours on the phone calling people. My mother and I have relatives all over the country. The basic thing I'm thinking about is Gary and Cecilia. They're going to grow up without their father. They're only ten years old. The both of them idolized their dad. Cecilia would joke with him and tell him she was going to be a doctor like him."

Crystal managed a smile but then it faded. She then let out a sigh.

" My father wasn't perfect though. He had his flaws, but they passed."

" What kind of flaws?" Mac asked.

Crystal stood up.

" He did cheat on my mom. In fact I caught him in his office and it shocked me on who he was with."

" Who was it?" Stella asked.

"Amy Winchester."

" The secretary?" Mac asked.

Crystal nodded her head.

" It was last year and I'll never forget the smirk on her face. It's like she wanted to get caught. I was devastated and ran out. My father tracked me down and told me how sorry he was. I didn't talk to him for about a week. This is hard to talk about. Other then that, I don't know who would have it out for my father."

" What about Noelle Foster?" Stella asked.

" Noelle? I met her a few weeks ago. She was leaving my father's office and I was coming. It was my father's birthday and I wanted to surprise him. A few days later I saw Noelle in the diner down the street. We got to talking and she told me why she was seeking therapy. She also told me about what she saw in the past and what she was going through now. I know I'm only 20, but my heart went out to her. If you want an opinion, Noelle might be in more pain then me. My father paid attention to me, according to what Noelle told me, her father ignores her. If your going to ask me if I think Noelle killed my father, the answer is No, but I wouldn't put it past Amy."

" We appreciate your time Ms. Jenkins. If we need anything else, we'll contact you," Stella told her.

Crystal nodded her head.

" What killed him?"

" We discovered the gun that was used was a .22 caliber and so far the murder weapon is unaccounted for," Mac told her.

Hearing that news didn't make Crystal feel any better.

" We'll keep on it though," Stella told her," As for your father's belongings they're at the crime lab for processing. It's hard to say when they'll be available."

" More work then we thought," Crystal said," Thanks for the update."

Mac and Stella then left the house.

" So where to now?"

" We need to talk to Noelle again Stella."

" We can't ask about her sessions Mac. If she wants to tell us that's up to her, but we can't ask her what she talked about, it's confidential. Besides Flack went to talk to her."

Mac only nodded his head. He knew that Noelle hated guns, but they needed to continue their investigation.

" She's still a suspect though. We can't rule her out yet."

Meanwhile, Noelle was in the diner that was near the center she was doing her community service at. Even though she was going through another hard time, spending time with senior citizens helped ease her mind. At that moment she saw Flack come through the door. Was he looking for her? Noelle got her answer when he came up to her.

" Ms. Foster?"

" To what do I owe this pleasure detective? I told you I'm not talking about what I told Dr. Jenkins. I don't feel like talking at all."

" May I join you?"

Noelle nodded her head.

" I'm not going to ask you that, unless of course I think it's important to this investigation."

" I'm a troubled soul. I always will be. With a father who doesn't care, disturbing dreams that won't stop, and forever branded in the justice system. What else would you like to know?"

Flack looked at her. He saw the sad look in her eyes and the way she just talked was calm and quiet, not hostile. Flack was there for a reason, it was because her fingerprints matched to some fingerprints that were found at the crime scene.

" I didn't come here to judge you, but your prints did show up on the sofa in Dr. Jenkins office."

" Of course it would. I sit on that sofa for my sessions."

" You look like you need to talk. I'll listen."

Noelle got up.

" I know you would and I'm sorry about jumping to conclusions. Honestly, do you need something else?"

Noelle then sat back down.

" This hasn't helped me much. I have nobody else to talk to and sometimes I want to end it all, make the pain go away. I'm a basketcase."

Noelle then looked down.

" I didn't kill him. Dr. Jenkins helped me. He told me I might have anger in me, but I also have so much fear."

Noelle then again got back up.

" I have to get back to work Detective Flack. If you need anything else, you know where to look."

" Wait," Flack said stopping her," Are you okay?"

" No. I want to get out of here. I want to leave, but I can't. If I leave, I'll be violating my probation. I've got to go."

Noelle then went up to the register to pay her bill. Flack watched her leave. It was at that moment he thought Noelle was capable of anything, including murder, but deep inside, murder would be the last thing she'd do.

Mac and Stella went back to Dr. Jenkins office to see Amy Winchester at her desk. It was after 12 p.m. by the time they got there.

" She's cleaning out Mac."

" Ms. Winchester," Mac said.

Amy looked at the two detectives.

" What can I do for you?"

" We're from the crime lab," Mac said.

Amy stopped what she was doing and looked at them.

" What do you want from me? I already made my statement."

" Do you have any idea who was out to hurt Dr. Jenkins?" Stella asked.

" No," Amy answered," He would come in early to help out his clients and stay as late as he could."

" What time do you usually get here?" Mac asked.

" After 8," Amy answered," I have work to do here. I'm being transferred to another office."

Amy went back to what she was doing.

" One more thing," Mac said," We would like to take a sample of your DNA and your prints."

" What for? I didn't kill him. You want to find the killer go talk to Noelle Foster."

" Noelle Foster?" Stella asked.

Amy nodded her head.

" That girl has more problems then I can count and she hated him. I wouldn't put it past her to kill him and to answer your question, no you can't."

" It would rule you out as a suspect."

Amy grew angry.

" No, you may not. I know my rights. Excuse me."

Amy went on her way out of the area. Stella shook her head.

" I don't like her attitude Mac. You remember the way Noelle was at first?"

" She didn't want to cooperate and it looks like we might've the same problem, this time with Amy Winchester. If we have to we'll get a warrant. It looks like she may have something to hide."


	4. Chapter 4

The Dr. Jenkins case was the main focus of the crime lab. The murder weapon was still unaccounted for and majority of the people that were questioned had solid alibis. The only two who didn't seem to have clear alibis were Noelle Foster and Amy Winchester. Stella decided to go talk to Noelle. Danny and Lindsay decided to talk to Amy. The two of them went to go see Amy and saw her at her desk outside of Dr. Jenkins office, which was their crime scene.

" Ms. Winchester," Danny said.

Amy turned around to look at Danny and Lindsay.

" May I help you?"

" Detective Monroe. Detective Messer. We work for the crime lab," Lindsay told her.

Amy shook her head.

" I told those other detectives that I'm not talking. You can't have my fingerprints or DNA without a warrant or my lawyer present."

" It'll be easier if you cooperate," Danny told her.

" I said No. Did you hear me?"

" We're trying to figure out who killed your boss," Lindsay added.

Amy continued boxing up things, which included about a dozen audio tapes, papers, and books. She then stopped and looked at him.

" Do I have to call security? You don't have the right to harass me. I have work to do."

Amy then went on and down the hall. Lindsay looked at him.

" What do you get out of that?"

" Someone who has something to hide. We have to tell Mac what we found out."

Danny and Lindsay headed back to the crime lab and mentioned to Mac about what Amy Winchester told him and what she had. The items she had seemed to be possible evidence of tampering with evidence. Mac told them to examine the evidence they had over again, maybe something would come up.

Meanwhile, Noelle kept safe distance from everything. After her time at the senior center, Noelle went back home and sat down. She looked at the answering machine and saw no messages. Noelle sighed and shook her head. No message from her mother or her brother.

" I have to keep trying. I need them here."

Noelle called her mother and brother again, but again had to leave a message. She sat down and stared at the ceiling.

" Will this case work for me or against me? Why is this happening to me? Again I'm in the middle of a murder investigation."

Noelle then heard a knock on the door. She was hoping maybe it was her mother, but when she looked out, she saw that it was Stella. Noelle sighed and opened the door.

" Detective Bonasera, please come in."

Stella came in and Noelle shut the door.

" You may call me Stella."

" Seems unprofessional."

Stella put down her kit, which Noelle noticed.

" You must be here for a reason."

" I am. Did your mother get a hold of you?"

Noelle shook her head. Stella noted the look in Noelle's eyes, there was fear in them.

" I'm sure she will. What about your father?"

" No such luck. It's like I'm invisible to him or I don't exist anymore. What do you need?"

" May I check you hands?"

Noelle didn't understand.

" My hands?"

" Dr. Jenkins was killed with a .22 caliber."

" I've never picked up a gun. I never want to."

" I know, but this would rule you out as a potential suspect."

Noelle then nodded her head. Stella did what she needed to do, despite how uncomfortable Noelle was. Stella looked at her and shook her head.

" It's negative. You don't have gunshot residue on your hands."

Noelle breathed a sigh of relief.

" You've nothing to worry about."

Noelle sat down.

" That doesn't stop from my bad dreams from occurring or completely cancel me out."

Stella sat down. Noelle looked at her.

" At first I'd show up at crime scenes. I just look and watch. I'm not touching anything. Detective Taylor sees me and tells me that I don't belong at his crime scenes. Then it just seems to get worse. The dreams escalate into chases, gunfire, and bloodshed. They scare me. That's why I've been going to Dr. Jenkins."

" How often did they happen?"

" Every night for the last month. I kept a dream journal by my nightstand and I would record everything I remember. Sometimes I would write pages and then I'd go back to sleep."

Noelle sighed.

" The only other person I shared that with was Dr. Jenkins."

" What did he tell you?"

" It could mean any number of things. Such as trying to stay away from my enemies. I don't have any enemies. The police aren't my enemies."

Noelle pushed away hair from her eyes and got up.

" The dreams felt so real. Like it was really happening. The look on his face, it's not anger, but disappointment."

" Him? Who are you referring to?"

" Detective Taylor. He says that ' I try to help you and this is how you show your appreciation'. I'm ashamed by these dreams."

" There's nothing for you to be ashamed of Noelle. They're just dreams."

Noelle paced around.

" Do you need anything else? I'm really exhausted. I feel like I can't relax."

Stella got up.

" I should get back to the lab anyway. This should cancel you out Noelle."

" What if it doesn't?"

" Then I'll let you know."

Stella ended up leaving. Noelle's GSR was negative, but she wasn't totally ruled out as a suspect, at least not yet.

Stella went back to the lab and ran into Danny.

" I heard you were going to see Noelle Foster again."

" That's right and there's no GSR on her hands Danny."

" That doesn't mean she didn't do it. She could've worn gloves."

" Noelle isn't a killer. What we need to do is look over the crime scene again."

Danny shook his head.

" I got no other hits in AFIS but Noelle Foster and Dr. Jenkins."

" You want to know my gut feeling, Amy Winchester."

" The secretary?"

" She didn't want to talk and she refused to give up fingerprints and DNA samples. We may need to get a warrant to talk to her."

Danny nodded his head.

" When Lindsay and I went to talk to Amy, she was outside Dr. Jenkins office. We saw audio tapes and a bunch of other papers. We told Mac and he's giving it time for Amy to talk. If not then we'll get a warrant to make her talk. She could be tampering with possible evidence."

" I know Noelle didn't do it Danny. She's disturbed, not a killer."

" You really want help her?"

" There's nobody else to do so. He father doesn't care. What motive would Noelle have to kill him?"

" Maybe the sessions weren't helping her afterall, so Noelle decided to take care of it."

Stella shook her head.

" I don't think so."

" Stella, she's a suspect, whether you like it or not."


	5. Chapter 5

Danny was heading home when a thought came to him, maybe he could talk to Noelle and see if she knows anything about Amy Winchester. It was bothering him that Amy wouldn't talk, maybe Noelle could help him. On top of it, he found something that belonged to Noelle and it didn't have anything to do with the case. Danny turned his car around and went back in the other direction. Noelle didn't live to far from the area he lived at. Danny found a parking spot in the back and headed into the building. Noelle didn't live in the best apartment, but neither did he. Noelle was in her apartment when she heard a knock on the door. It was after 6 p.m. and it already had been a long day. She got up and went to the door.

" Who's there?"

" NYPD," she heard.

Noelle looked out and didn't recognize the man standing there. She slowly opened the door and shook her head.

" Oh it's you," Noelle said," I remember you."

" Detective Messer, New York Crime Lab. May I come in?"

" I suppose so. What do you need to know?"

Danny came in and Noelle shut the door.

" What can you tell me about Amy Winchester?"

" Amy? Besides from being Dr. Jenkins secretary, not much. I don't know much about her. Why do you ask? Why don't you go ask her?"

" She won't talk. I thought you might help."

Noelle shook her head.

" I can't help you there detective. I wish I could, it would help clear me of Dr. Jenkins murder. It seems my word doesn't help."

Noelle sat down and Danny sat down next to her.

" I'm sorry. I'm just doing my job."

Noelle looked at him.

" It's okay. Did Detective Taylor send you here?"

" He doesn't know I came here. I came by to give you something, it belongs to you. It was outside of Dr. Jenkins office."

Danny handed her a notebook, which was in a sealed envelope.

" Why is it marked as evidence? You can't give this to me."

" It's not part of this investigation."

Noelle shook her head.

" You should take this back."

" The boss already knows about it."

Noelle got up.

" I appreciate you bringing me this. It's not earth shattering, it's my dream journal."

" Dream journal?"

" I'd write in it after waking up from my dreams. I'd write everything I could remember and I mean everything."

Danny got up.

" I don't know much about Amy. All I know about her is from Dr. Jenkins office. I heard others talking though, but I shrug it off because it's none of my business," Noelle told him.

" Maybe it would help."

Noelle sighed deeply.

" I heard that she was, well, sleeping with the boss. I don't believe that. Dr. Jenkins is a married man. I don't believe much on what I hear. I've got my own problems to deal with. I don't have many friends, which is my own fault. I can be difficult."

Danny just nodded his head.

" I'm sorry. I've dealt with people more difficult then you."

" I didn't kill him detective. I don't know who would."

Danny then went to the door.

" You just gave me something to work with. If you think of anything else, call me."

Danny handed her a card.

" I'll do that. You sure you don't need this back?"

Danny looked at her. He saw something in Noelle's eyes and he was beginning to think that Stella was right, Noelle wasn't the killer. Noelle looked over the notebook and then at Danny.

" Where did you find this?"

" It was found outside the crime scene. It's not part of our evidence."

Noelle nodded her head.

" You ever have disturbing dreams?"

" I've had them and sometimes I think back on them. What I focus on is that the future is still open, just like yours is."

" I appreciate the answer. If I come up with anything else, you'll be the first to know, well the crime lab anyway."

Danny nodded his head and headed back to the crime lab. Stella ended up seeing him.

" I thought you went home?"

" I was, but then I stopped to see Noelle Foster."

" Why?"

" Just to talk to her. I found something out Stella, Noelle might have a motive to kill Dr. Jenkins, but so does the secertery. Noelle told me that she heard Amy was apparently sleeping with the boss."

Stella nodded her head.

" His daughter Crystal told Mac and I the same thing, in fact, she caught them. I think we need to get that warrant. Without it Amy won't talk."

" Then why don't we get on it? It already might be too late. I have this feeling, Amy Winchester is getting rid of evidence."

" Then let's talk to Mac and get that search warrant, before Amy is able to do more."


	6. Chapter 6

The next day didn't help Noelle feel any better for the case was still wide open with no clearance in sight. Noelle was beginning to think that everything was going against her. So far, she couldn't get over the fact that she was again involved in a homicide investigation. She knew she didn't commit the murder, but that didn't stop her from reliving the previous events. Those events still haunted her.

" If I didn't run away that day, would I've been arrested still? I created a real mess for myself."

Noelle then thought back to the day when she ran away from the detectives and hid in the subway. When she came out, the detectives were right there to apprehend her. What caught her eyes the most was when their service weapons were pointed at her.

" I wish I could change that, but I can't."

Noelle sighed and hugged herself tight. The day was unseasonablely warm, but it didn't help her mood.

" I'm going crazy. I have to get out of here."

Noelle got up and happened to turn around to look right at Mac.

" Noelle."

" Detective Taylor."

Mac looked at her and saw a certain look in her eyes.

" Are you okay?"

" I guess I will be in time. When this case goes away. I feel that I have nobody else to turn to right now. I'm going out of my mind. I can't help, but think back on the things I've done. I'm still not proud that I ran away that day. If I didn't maybe things would've turned out differently. What I remember the most is having those service weapons pointed at me and it gives me the creeps."

" That was only to get you to stop."

" It worked."

Noelle sat back down. Mac sat down next to her.

" You still would've been arrested Noelle. What we found was incriminating against you back then."

" I know. I'm a difficult person to get along with. No wonder I don't have any friends. I don't blame anyone for my problems, even if I wanted to. My biggest fear right now is that I'll end up in handcuffs again. It felt like my life was over."

Noelle sighed.

" Sorry if I'm wasting your time."

" You're not, but do you mind if I asked you a few questions?"

Noelle stood up.

" Please, sit down. You're not in any trouble here Noelle."

Noelle sat back down.

" What do you want to know? I've talked to so many people. I told them what I could. I talked to Detective Messer last night about Amy. Amy was the private type. Yet there were rumors about her. I didn't pay attention to those."

" Turns out she might've a motive to want Dr. Jenkins dead. Those rumors are true, we got confirmation from Dr. Jenkins daughter Crystal."

Noelle shook her head.

" That's still none of my business. Unless you want to hear my opinion. It's a sin to go after a married man. Then again what do I know? I'm the one who needed therapy. I still do. It's just too much. I want to run away and hide from the world. I feel somehow this is going to work against me, that I'm going to be arrested for this. I don't have an alibi. Isn't that the first thing you look for?"

" What motive would you have to kill Dr. Jenkins?"

" I don't."

" Exactly. I can't figure that out either, unless you thought he wasn't really helping you."

" He was. I just let what's bothering me, get to me. It's worse inside. I can't help, but think about what's to come."

Noelle again sighed.

" I have no reason to arrest you Noelle and you're handling the situation well. You're not letting it get to you. For example, you're not sitting in some bar right now drinking. Some people in this situation are known to do that."

Noelle nodded her head.

" I don't know much about psychology, but if you want to talk more, I'll listen."

" It's so real. The dreams I've been having. I see it in my head, over and over again. I keep running away in those dreams. I don't care what happens. In the end I get caught and end up in the one place I never want to be. I'm a destroyed soul."

" You're only human. Anything else?"

Noelle nodded her head.

" You're disappointed in me. I keep thinking these people are my friends, but how can they be my friends when they're also investigating me in a murder?"

" I want to be a friend to you. I understand the way you're feeling."

Noelle nodded her head.

" It does make me feel better to get this out, yet sometimes, it doesn't help. The same things hit my mind when I wake up in the morning. I have to move on. I can't erase what already happened. I appreciate your time, I have to go."

" Where are you heading?"

" Home. Where else would I go? You know where to look for me if you need me."

Mac watched Noelle go in the other direction. Several minutes later, he headed back to the lab. Even though Noelle didn't have a solid alibi, Mac knew she didn't commit the murder. Noelle stated that she was at home alone the time of Dr. Jenkins death. Stella happened to walk by his office.

" You look puzzled."

" I just saw Noelle. She's more scared then ever."

Stella sat down.

" I know how she feels Mac, Noelle told me."

" Her biggest fear is that somehow it'll bounce back unto her. Noelle's afraid, and these are her words, that she'll end up in cuffs again."

" Noelle didn't do it. She didn't have any gunshot residue on her hands. That cancels her out."

Mac shook his head.

" I want it to be that way, for Noelle's sake. The fact of the matter is, the murder weapon is still missing and she has no alibi."

" So Noelle is guilty until she proven innocent. I still believe in her. What about the warrant to talk to Amy Winchester? We need to talk to Dr. Jenkins family again."

" Still in the works. Amy won't talk to us without a warrant as for the family, we have no new information right now. The alibil's of the daughter and the wife were checked out. Nothing ties them to the murder."

Stella got up.

" Noelle didn't do it and I'm going to prove it."

" Stella, our hands are tied here. Noelle is still a suspect."

Stella then just headed out of the office and then the building. No matter what it took, she was going to prove Noelle's innocence.


	7. Chapter 7

Stella decided she'd go talk to Dr. Jenkins family again. The door was answered by Crystal, who didn't look well at all, at least to Stella she didn't.

" Detective," Crystal said," What can I help you with?"

" I know this might be a bad time, but would you mind if I came in?"

Crystal just nodded her head and Stella came in. Crystal shut the door and sat down on the sofa with a sigh.

" Are you feeling allright? Is your mother at home?"

" It's been so hard these last few days. My mother took my brother and sister out for a walk. They expect their father to still walk through the door. How do you explain to two ten year olds that their father is never coming home?"

Stella could see that Crystal was still highly upset about what happened to her father. So far there was no new information that she could give her.

" I'm so sorry for you loss, but do you mind if I asked you a question?"

" Not at all. I'll do what I can to help."

" What do you know about Amy Winchester?"

" Not much. I don't like her for what she did. Amy went after my father. Somehow she got to him. I never told my mother what I saw. I feel awful about that. It's hard to believe that my father is gone."

Stella only nodded her head.

" Did you have anything new detective?"

Stella shook her head.

" Do you know when the M.E. is going to release my father's body?"

" After the investigation. We're still in the middle of it."

Crystal nodded her head.

" I understand. My mother and I are trying to figure out funeral arrangements. I never expected this to happen."

" Nobody ever does."

Crystal got up and began pacing around the room.

" Sometimes I lay awaked at night and stare at the ceiling. Then I hear crying, it's my sister, she wants her daddy. My father was good at getting her back to sleep. I don't understand this. Who would kill my father? I'm angry and sad at the same time. I want to know who did this and why."

" It's normal to want to know why. I can't tell you right now. I'll find out for you when the body is being released."

" I appreciate that. If you want my opinion, the only person I think would kill my father is Amy. Has she told you anything?"

" She refuses to talk to us. We're working on that."

Crystal again nodded her head.

" I wish I could tell you more."

The door then opened and in walked Crystal's mother, brother, and sister.

" Crystal,?" her mother said," Who is this?"

" Stella Bonasera," Stella said," I'm from the crime lab. Mrs. Jenkins."

" Oh, right. Crystal told me someone from there came by earlier. Do you have anything new ?"

" I'm afraid not."

Stella then looked at the little girl, who wiped away tears from her eyes. She had long blond hair and brown eyes.

" Hi," Stella said.

The little girl looked away.

" She's shy around people," Crystal said.

" I want my daddy," the little girl said.

" He's dead shrimp," the young boy said," Dad's never coming home."

The little girl then ran up the stairs.

" Gary Alexander, that's quite enough. Go watch your sister."

Gary stomped up the stairs.

" He's angry. Cecilia is sad. I'm Sandra, detective. It's hard to explain to the young ones about what happened to their dad. This isn't going to be easy. Since you're here, may I ask a question?"

" Of course."

" Do you know when I could get into my husbands office to collect his belongings?"

" Right know it's still a crime scene. Do you know much about Amy Winchester?"

Sandra shook her head.

" Not much. Sorry I can't help you there. Why do you ask?"

" She won't talk. Thanks for your time."

Stella was about to go out the door when Gary came back down the stairs.

" You are going to find out who did this?"

" Gary, that's enough," Sandra said," Go watch your sister."

" She's locked herself in her room. Cecilia should be angry like me. Dad was supposed to take us to the Yankees game tomorrow, but now he can't. I was looking forward to that and then someone had to take him away."

The three of them then saw the look in the young man's eyes. Tears were strolling down his cheeks.

" Gary, I know you loved your father."

" I want to know what happened. I'm a big boy. He was murdered, wasn't he?"

" Yes," Sandra answered him," Somebody shot him."

" Who?"

Stella went up to the young man, who was the spitting image of his father with dark hair and brown eyes.

" That's what I'm going to try and find out. I won't give up until I do."

" Okay, I believe you," Gary said," I'm sorry mom. I just miss him."

" We all do sweetie," Sandra told him," If you find anything out, you will let us know?"

" You'll be the first to know."

Stella then left a few minutes later. There weren't many answers for the family who had so many questions. Stella's mind was still on Amy Winchester and why she was hesitant to talk to them. Stella then thought back on how Noelle avoided questions and refused to do so without a warrant.

" That's what we need," Stella thought to herself," My instincts are telling me Amy knows more and I'm going to find out, one way or another."

Stella then thought about Noelle and what she was going through. Mac said that Noelle was still a suspect and there was no specific evidence that could clear her yet. Stella then decided to go talk to Noelle. It was only after 2.p.m. when Stella left the Jenkins house.

" This is going to be a long day."

Stella then made her way towards Noelle's apartment. Even if Noelle didn't have anything new, talking to her was still a big part of the case.


	8. Chapter 8

_The darkness of the night surrounded the area. Running through that darkness was a scared and scarred soul. They didn't care about what was going to happen, all they felt was that they needed to get away and hide or get out of town all together._

" _I can't let them get to me. I can't let them find me."_

_The suspect hid and looked out. They knew who was looking for them it was the police. They got themselves involved in something they couldn't avoid. Now, running from the police one thing they knew they shouldn't do._

" _Noelle," she heard," I know you're out there somewhere. You've got nowhere else to go. The place is surrounded."_

_Noelle knew that voice. It was the voice of Detective Mac Taylor, New York Crime Lab. Mac Taylor was the one who arrested her before, a man she trusted with all of her heart._

" _If I trust him, why am I running away from him?" Noelle thought._

" _Noelle," she heard Mac say again," We can work this out."_

" _It's no use," Noelle thought," I can't escape from what I've done."_

_Noelle sighed and felt tears in her eyes. The sting of those tears burned her eyes._

" _Noelle," she heard again._

_Noelle opened her eyes, this time a different voice._

" _Noelle, its Stella. We can work through this."_

_Noelle could hear her heart pounding. She looked out of where she was, the detectives were looking the other way. Noelle slowly came out of hiding, but then ran off again._

" _Noelle, stop," she heard._

_She knew who it was, but she didn't listen, she kept on running. Before she knew it, she was brought to the ground. Noelle was brought to her feet and looked right at Mac._

" _You can't escape this Noelle. You will talk to us."_

_Noelle shook her head._

" _You're under arrest."_

Noelle sat up. She was sitting in her apartment.

" Not again. Why am I having these disturbing dreams?"

Noelle then heard a knock on the door. She got up and looked out to see Stella. Noelle sighed and opened the door.

" Hi," Noelle said," What do you need now?"

" I'm here as a friend Noelle, if you'll let me."

Noelle nodded her head, she could use a friend. Stella came in and Noelle shut the door.

" We're you sleeping?"

" I just woke up. I had another one of those disturbing dreams."

Noelle sat down and brought her knees up. She then looked at the clock, it was only 3:15 p.m.

" It feels so much later then 3 p.m. I got up early, so I went to the senior center early. I left at noon and that's when I ran into Detective Taylor. I came home after that and this is where I've been since."

" I know what you mean. I've been in and out of the lab since early this morning."

Noelle nodded her head. Stella did look exhausted as well.

" I feel like I'm going crazy. What are these dreams trying to tell me?"

Stella sat down.

" I don't know who else to talk to. Who would understand? I don't even understand them. Like I said before, I don't have any enemies."

" You're running away?"

Noelle nodded her head.

" It's dark and I hide. No matter what I don't listen. I run again, but I get caught. Those three dreaded words. Words I never want to hear again, at least on a personal level."

Noelle got up.

" You think I'm crazy?"

" No. Why would I think that? What three words are you talking about?"

Noelle sat back down.

" ' You're under arrest'. Those words echo in my head sometimes."

Stella only nodded her head.

" Before this happened, Dr. Jenkins murder, Detective Taylor and I would talk. He told me if I ever needed to talk, I could call him. A part of me is thinking how can he be a friend to me when I'm in the middle of an investigation? I have nobody else to talk to though. I know you're trying to be a friend to me too, but you can't. Your job is to investigate and I'm stuck right in the middle of it."

" I understand, but what you tell me now is off the record, I promise you that."

Noelle didn't know what else to say. The situation was getting to her in more ways then one.

" He's been like a father to me, more then my own father. The thing is, he's not my father."

" I see."

" I tell myself it's something I'll get over, but so far, I haven't."

Stella nodded her head. She felt the other day that something was on Noelle's mind, now she knew what it was, Noelle had a crush on Mac.

" It sounds crazy doesn't it? I'm attracted to a man old enough to be my father."

" There's nothing wrong with it. What you feel is harmless."

Noelle sighed, she felt better, at least a little better.

" Why else did you come here? Did you discover anything else?"

" I can't tell you that Noelle, it's part of the investigation."

" This involves me, but I understand."

Stella left shortly after that. She didn't know what else to think. Noelle wasn't cleared of possible murder charges yet, but Stella felt that Noelle didn't do it. On her way into the lab, she ran into Flack.

" There you are, everyone is wondering where you went."

" I was talking with Noelle. I went there as a friend. I found something else out about her."

" When I talked to her the other day, I think I figured something out. Noelle mentioned about disturbing dreams where she runs away from us."

" She told me the same thing, it's why she was in therapy Don. I know Noelle didn't do it. What else she told me, that was shocking."

Flack looked at her.

" You can't tell anyone I'm telling you this. Noelle trusts that this doesn't get out."

" You have my word Stella."

" Noelle has a crush on Mac, at least I think she does and that's part of what's going on with her."

Flack didn't seem surprised.

" That's what I discovered, all from what she said. I agree with you. Noelle didn't kill Dr. Jenkins. I talked to Danny and Lindsay, they're both suspicious on Amy Winchester and you know what, so am I. I just went to her office and she just told me to get out, unless I had a warrant."

" She refused to talk to you too?"

Flack nodded his head.

" I did notice something, Amy was typing data into a computer, it was a laptop."

" Which means she could take it at any time."

Flack again nodded his head.

" We need to get a warrant, with that, Amy Winchester will have no choice, but to talk to us."

Flack and Stella then decided to go back to the lab, but something going on in the park caught their attention.

" What's going on over there?" Stella asked.

" There's only one way to find out, check it out."


	9. Chapter 9

Flack and Stella went to search what was going on in the park. The park they were going to was a small compared to others in the city. As they got closer the crowd was getting bigger. Stella then couldn't believe what she saw. Flack saw the look on her face.

" Stella."

" It's Noelle. What's she doing? I just left her only 20 minutes ago."

" This park isn't too far from where she lives, it's right down the street."

Flack and Stella went closer and got to where Noelle was standing. Noelle was standing on a railing that overlooked a stream. The backpack she usually carries was beside her on the ground.

" That stream leads into the river," Stella said," We have to get her down from there."

Flack looked at the crowd.

" Break it up here people," Flack said," NYPD. There's nothing to see here."

The crowd disbanded and Stella went up to Noelle.

" Noelle."

Noelle looked at her. Stella could see the tears in her eyes.

" Come down from there," Stella told her.

" Leave me alone. I can't escape this."

" You don't want to do this. Believe me I know what you're going through."

Noelle shook her head.

" You have no idea how I feel. I feel powerless, angry, confused, and useless all at once. I want to blame someone else for how I'm feeling, but I can't. I have nobody else to blame but myself."

" I do know," Stella told her," I've been in your shoes before. You feel betrayed in a way. You trusted someone to be there for you and they end up hurting you. I've been there. I was hurt and betrayed by someone I trusted in one of the worst possible ways."

Noelle looked at her again.

" I went to my father to talk to him and he's too busy to talk to me for five minutes. I want to know what I did to make my father ignore me. I need him and he doesn't give a rats ass. I need him now more then ever."

" Why don't you come down from there," Flack said," We can talk more about this."

Flack held out his hand. Noelle just looked at him. Her heart pounded and she realized that she couldn't do this. Standing on a railing looking into the stream wasn't the answer to solving her problems.

" I look down there and I want to end it all, but then there's someone out there who wouldn't take it well, it would break her heart."

" Your mother." Stella said.

Noelle nodded her head as the tears flowed more. She then ended up looking at Flack, who still had his hand out. He just nodded his head and Noelle ended up accepting his help. Noelle came down and sighed.

" I can't stand this pain I'm feeling. I'm so tired and I feel so alone. I don't want to be alone. My mother is out of town and I don't know when she'll come and my brother is working on a case, he can't be here either."

" You won't be alone," Stella told her," You'll come back with me to the lab."

Noelle didn't know what to say as she picked up her backpack.

" What would Detective Taylor say to that? I can't go there."

" She's right on that one Stella."

" If Mac says anything, I'll tell him why Noelle is there. I'll take the responsibility. You can rest there Noelle."

Noelle then nodded her head and walked ahead of them.

" Mac won't agree to that."

" I'm not leaving her alone Don. She needs someone and I'm going to be there for her."

It was about an hour later, Mac ended up walking by his office and saw someone lying on the sofa. He noticed it was Noelle.

" Noelle."

Noelle sat up startled.

" I didn't mean to wake you or scare you."

Noelle looked around.

" Do you mind telling me what you're doing here?"

" Stella and Detective Flack brought me here. Stella said I could rest here for awhile. I didn't want to be alone."

" Is there a reason to think you were in danger?"

Noelle put her knees up.

" I'm a danger to myself."

Mac then ended up seeing Stella walking by.

" Wait here for a moment. We need to talk Stella."

Stella went into Mac's office behind him.

" She can't stay here. You need to take Noelle home."

" Flack and I found her in the park."

Mac just looked at her.

" She was standing on a railing wanting to jump. Flack and I talked her down. I brought Noelle here so she wouldn't be alone."

Outside the office Noelle sat there. Sheldon Hawkes happened to be walking by and saw the look on her face.

"Are you okay?"

" Not really."

Sheldon sat down next to her.

" My name's Dr. Hawkes."

" Noelle Foster. I feel so awful right now. I need someone to talk to. Wait, you're a doctor?"

" I'm not a psychologist, but I'll listen if you want to talk."

" I'm scared. So far this case isn't helping me. I have no alibi. I didn't kill Dr. Jenkins. I wouldn't. He was helping me. Now he's dead and I'm stuck."

Sheldon just nodded his head.

" There's more to it. I've been having these disturbing dreams and each time it gets worse. The dreams escalate to gunfire and violence. I run away and it doesn't end well. I wake up nearly screaming."

" This is what you told Dr. Jenkins?"

" Yes."

" What did he tell you to do?"

Noelle showed him her journal.

" To write it down. Everything I remember. Symbols, the way the day was, things like that."

Sheldon only nodded his head at what Noelle showed him.

" I never showed him this. Dr. Jenkins told me there was no need for him to see this."

Noelle ended up putting the notebook back in her backpack, not knowing a slip of paper had fallen out. Stella then came out of Mac's office.

" Noelle. I'm going to take you back home now."

" Okay."

Noelle got up and picked up her backpack.

" Thank you Dr. Hawkes. I needed to get that out."

Noelle then walked on with Stella.

" What did she tell you Sheldon?"

" How this case is working against her, or she feels like it is."

Mac then saw the slip of paper on the floor and picked it up. As he read it, he realized it was from Noelle's journal. The paper had a list of words, with three words that were bigger then the others.

" The three scariest words in the English language."

Sheldon happened to look at it.

" These words are scary to her."

" My guess is. Those three words she never wants to hear personally again."

Mac looked at the list again. The three words in bold letters caught his eye. The words 'You're under arrest' was in big bold letters with a big red circle around it. Mac understood why those words were scary to Noelle. They were three words that were used on her once before and she never wanted to live through that again.

In the meantime, Noelle was back at her apartment with Stella.

" I'm a complete mess," Noelle said sitting down," I can't think straight."

Stella sat down next to her.

" I'm going to find the proof that you didn't do this."

" So far it's not working my way. It's going to work against me, I know it."

" Stay positive Noelle, you're doing something right, you keep up with your probation."

" I have no choice but to do that Stella. If I go against that, then I will end up in jail."

Stella got back up.

" You need anything else Noelle?"

" I'll be okay. Why do you believe in me so much?"

" I just do. I'll be in touch. Right now, I have to get back to the lab. We're working on a warrant."

" Amy?"

All Stella did was nod her head. Noelle did the same. Stella left a few moments later and began to wonder why they couldn't get a warrant for Amy Winchester.

" She's hiding something and I'm going to find out what it is."


	10. Chapter 10

Stella went to the lab early the next morning, even though there was not much else she could do. When she got there, Mac was already in his office.

" Have you been here all night?"

Mac just nodded his head.

" I've been going over this evidence and it's a dead end. Dr. Jenkins had a number of clients and none of them have anything against him, including Noelle. Right now, this case isn't going anywhere. Without the murder weapon, we can't move forward."

" What about the warrant on Amy Winchester?"

The phone then rang and Mac answered it. Stella was too focused on her own thoughts to notice what was going on. Mac then hung up the phone.

" Good news for once, we finally got our warrant. Flack went to the D.A. about how Amy Winchester keeps avoiding our questions. You and Danny go to her office. Flack is on standby just in case Amy decides to run off."

" Maybe we'll get some answers for once. I have this feeling Mac, Amy is our killer."

Stella went out of the office and met up with Danny outside the lab. Together they went to the building where Amy worked. When they got there Amy was sitting at her desk, she just looked at them with a frown on her face.

" Not you again. I'm calling security."

" We have a warrant," Stella told her," To search your desk and for your fingerprints."

Stella showed Amy the piece of paper. Amy shook her head.

" This is an invasion of privacy. I have a right to feel protected."

" We have a case to solve," Danny told her," Now if you'll excuse us."

Amy moved and went to the other side of the room and crossed her arms.

" She obviously doesn't like this," Danny said.

" Amy has no choice. We can take whatever we think is necessary."

Amy paced around as Danny and Stella gathered up some stuff. Danny then began looking at the laptop. Amy came back up.

" You can't take that. That computer has private information."

" According to that warrant we can take what we need," Stella reminded her," Now you also have to give up your prints."

" You're going to regret this," Amy told them," I didn't kill anyone."

Stella ended up taking Amy's prints and didn't say another word. Danny in the meantime packed up some audio tapes and files.

" Okay, you got what you needed, now you can leave. You'll soon discover that I'm right. Dr. Jenkins thought highly of me."

" So highly that you went after him?" Danny asked," A married man?"

" He came to me. I didn't do anything."

" You didn't stop it."

" Why should I?"

Danny and Stella looked at her.

" Don't leave town. That warrant is still open," Stella warned her," We can come back to talk to you at anytime."

" You need to stop this. I didn't kill him."

" We'll see about that," Danny told her.

Danny and Stella left the building.

" Let's get this stuff back to the lab," Stella said," See if we get a hit on Amy's prints."

" These audio tapes might tell us something. There are a dozen of them. You know I also found these in her desk."

Stella noticed that what Danny had were the tickets to the baseball game that night. The three tickets were now marked as evidence.

" My guess is Dr. Jenkins was taking his children to this game," Stella said," Dr. Jenkins's son mentioned it."

" So why was it in Amy's desk?"

" It's possible she was just hanging unto them. Time to find out what Amy is hiding. What we have here hopefully will lead us to our killer. Go back to the lab Danny. I have somewhere else to go."

Danny shook his head.

" Mac will ask where you went."

" I'm going to talk to Noelle's father. He works in that building right there. Noelle needs her father and I need to help her."

" I'll let him know that. Be careful Stella."

Stella ended up going to the office where Noelle's father worked. She needed some answers herself to why he was ignoring his own daughter. The secretary went into the office.

" Mr. Foster someone is here to see you."

" Is it my next appointment?"

" I don't think so," the secretary answered.

Mr. Foster came out of the office and smiled at Stella.

" What can I do for you miss?"

" Stella Bonasera, I'm from the crime lab Mr. Foster."

The man's smiled faded.

" If this is about Noelle, I don't have time for this. I have clients to attend to."

" The person you should be thinking of is your daughter. Noelle thinks highly of you."

" She also got herself into this mess. Noelle told me she was seeking therapy. I pay her rent. What else does she want from me? Noelle is an adult."

" How about the love and support of her father? I talked to her and it's hurting her that you ignore her."

Mr. Foster shook her head.

" I don't know what else to tell you. I didn't tell her to run away from the police, Noelle did that herself. I don't have time to take care of her and all of her problems. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."

Stella shook her head.

" I see it in her Mr. Foster, Noelle still loves you. All she wants is support. Why don't you think about that?"

Stella left the office and took a cab back to the lab. Mac was waiting for her when she came back.

" I heard you went to go talk to Noelle's father?"

" I went there to help out Noelle. I don't understand why he won't help her. What kind of father ignores his child?"

" Him. I went to him and he told me off. I didn't understand it either."

Stella sat down.

" You're worried about her?"

" I can't help it Mac. Noelle is suffering so much. Yes, she made mistakes, but she's not a bad person."

Mac then heard his phone ring.

" Detective Taylor."

" _It's Noelle."_

" What's wrong?"

" _I'm outside my apartment. There's this envelope sitting there and from the distance, I see no return address. I'm afraid to pick it up."_

" Don't touch it and stay outside. I'm on the way."

Mac hung up the phone.

" We need to get to Noelle's apartment. Something is wrong."

" Is she okay?"

" We're about to find out. This could get us more answers."


	11. Chapter 11

Mac and Stella went to Noelle's apartment and found her pacing around.

" What's going on Noelle?" Mac asked.

" That."

Noelle just pointed to an envelope that was leaning up against her door.

" I'm not expecting anything and I don't know what that is. All I know is that it looks suspicious and it scares me."

" Do you mind if I have a look?" Mac asked her.

" It's why I called you. I didn't know who else to call."

Noelle then leaned up against the wall and sighed. Mac put on some gloves and picked it up. He looked inside and couldn't believe it.

" Stella, we need to get this back to the lab. This could be our murder weapon."

Noelle shook her head, she couldn't believe what was happening. Mac looked at her.

" There's no reason for you to be alarmed here. I believe you didn't put it there. We need to check this out. Do we have your permission to look inside your apartment? It's possible whoever left this here tried to get inside."

" Yes. I understand that, but who would do this?"

" That's what were going to find out," Stella told her putting on some gloves as well.

A few moments later, Danny ended up showing up.

" What do you need me to do?"

" For now Danny, take Noelle back to the lab. She doesn't need to be here. Once were done here, she can come back. Take this back to the lab and see if you get any hits in the system."

Danny looked at what was inside.

" Is this what I think it is?"

" It could be," Mac told him," Check for prints on it as well."

Before Danny left, Stella gave him some trace evidence of fingerprints that were found on the door.

" You know more then likely these are only Noelle's fingerprints," Danny said.

" Run them anyway," Stella told him," Maybe not. Watch out for her Danny."

Danny left several moments later with Noelle behind him. Mac and Stella then checked inside Noelle's apartment.

" No sign of forced entry," Stella said," Nothing out of the ordinary. This place is plain and simple. Maybe the prints on the door will be helpful."

" We'll see what shows up in the system. Hopefully we'll get the answer were looking for."

Mac and Stella continued to look around Noelle's apartment and noticed a prescription bottle on the sink.

" Noelle was taking antidepressants, prescribed by Dr. Jenkins."

Stella shook her head.

" She's in more pain the we thought. With this, Noelle might be thinking someone is setting her up."

" There's proof out there Stella and were going to find it. I'm going to have these pills checked out to see if any tampering was done."

Mac put the bottle into an evidence bag and continued looking around. He knew now that Noelle was innocent and now to find the real culprit.

It didn't take long for Danny to get back to the lab with Noelle. Sheldon and Lindsay looked at her as she sat down.

" She doesn't look good," Lindsay said," In fact, she looks terrible."

" How would you feel if you found this outside your apartment?"

Lindsay looked inside the envelope.

" Could this be our murder weapon?"

" It might be and whoever left this, might be trying to set Noelle up. Will you run these through the system Montana?"

Lindsay shook her head.

" I will, but don't call me Montana."

Lindsay took the fingerprint samples from Danny, but then looked at Noelle who stood up, took a few steps and then slumped to the ground. Sheldon and Danny went up to her.

" Noelle," Danny said.

There was no response.

" We need to get her to a hospital," Sheldon said," This doesn't look good."

Five minutes later, Noelle was taken out of the lab and was on her way to the hospital. Danny went with her. Sheldon and Lindsay then began to check the evidence that was found at Noelle's apartment. Lindsay checked the prints and got a surprising result. It was ten minutes later when Mac and Stella showed up. Lindsay ended up coming up to them.

" Where's Noelle? I told Danny to bring her here," Mac said.

" He did, but then Noelle got up and then passed out. Danny went with her to the hospital."

" Anything on what we found outside her apartment?" Stella asked.

" Hawkes is checking the gun, but I ran the prints and got a surprising hit. One of the prints was Noelle's, but the other one belongs to none other then Amy Winchester."

Stella had to smile at that.

" She's got more questions to answer."

" That's not all, there was also a print on the envelope."

" Amy Winchester?" Mac guessed.

Lindsay nodded her head.

" She was there," Stella said.

It was moments later when Sheldon came up.

" Good news Hawkes?" Stella asked.

" This is our murder weapon. I got a hit on who it belongs to, it belongs to Dr. Russell Jenkins. The surprising part, is the print I found on it."

" It wasn't Amy Winchester?' Mac asked.

Hawkes shook his head.

" It's his daughter, Crystal."

Stella couldn't believe that.

" That doesn't sound right."

" Right now the one we need to talk to is Amy. Call Flack and go pick her up. I'm going to check on Noelle. Hold Amy in the interrogation until I get there. In fact pick up Crystal as well. They both have questions to answer."


	12. Chapter 12

Mac ended up at Mercy Hospital where Noelle was taken. He looked around and then saw Danny.

" What's the update?"

" They won't tell me anything Mac. I'm not family. Noelle became alert in the ambulance. She didn't say much, except that she was sorry."

Mac shook his head.

" Sorry for what?"

" Causing trouble. Do you need me to do anything else?"

" Go to the precinct and wait there. I'm having both Amy and Crystal brought in for questioning. I'm going to find out what's going on."

Mac found a doctor and began to ask questions about Noelle. At first he wasn't getting any answers either but explaining the situation got him some answers on Noelle's condition. Mac was led to the room where Noelle was. He just looked at her and Noelle saw him. Mac stepped closer.

" How do you feel?"

" Embarrassed. I have nobody to blame but myself though. I just feel so awful. I haven't been taking care of myself. There's no excuse to what I've done. Now I fear I'm in more trouble."

Noelle looked away and Mac sat down.

" Are you afraid Noelle?"

Noelle could only nod her head.

" You have nothing to be scared of. I'm here because I'm concerned about you. I'm not here to arrest you."

Noelle looked at him.

" You haven't done anything wrong."

" I feel like I've done everything wrong. It's been so depressed lately. You know what hurts the most?"

" Your father."

Noelle nodded her head.

" I need him and he doesn't want to bother. I mean nothing to him. As much as I want to hate him, I don't. I don't remember the last time I was happy. I guess I was happy when I was with my brother. I love this city, but I can't stay here, not when I feel so unhappy. I have no alibi in this case."

" Noelle, everything will work out for you. As to why you don't hate anyone it's because you have a good heart. We also have new evidence, but that's all I can tell you right now."

Noelle looked at Mac, but then looked away.

" Why are you afraid of me?"

Noelle again looked his way.

" It's not you, it's those words. I never want to live through that again. If I screw up just once, I will end up in jail. The judge and D.A. made that very clear. I won't survive in jail."

" I'll do what I can to help you. Probation can be transferred."

Someone else then came into the room.

" Noelle?"

Noelle sat up with a jolt.

" Mom."

Noelle's mother went right up to her and hugged her. Mac stood up.

" I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I went to your apartment and it was marked as a crime scene. A nice young man was there to tell me what was going on. He then gave me a ride here. I'm so sorry Noelle."

" You're here now," Mac said," That's all that matters."

Noelle's mother looked at Mac.

" Nice to see you again Ms. Kendrick."

" You remember."

" I'll let you two talk. I have some work to catch up on. Get some rest Noelle."

Mac went out of the room and Ms. Kendrick went out with him.

" Detective."

Mac stopped.

" I have a request. I don't know if you could help or not. When I go back, I want to take Noelle with me. She needs to be with family who can help her through this."

Mac nodded his head.

" I think something can be worked on. We can talk it over with her probation officer. In this case, I'm sure something can be worked out. In fact, I'll recommend it. Noelle does need to be around family right now."

" I would appreciate that, Noelle would too. Thank you for looking out for her."

" You're welcome. Noelle deserves to be happy and if going back with you makes her happy, then I'm all for it."

In the meantime, at the precinct, Flack had Amy in one room and Crystal in the other. Stella was behind him.

" Who should we talk to first?"

" Shouldn't we wait for Mac?" Flack asked.

" He went to the hospital to check on Noelle. One of them is our killer, I feel it and I'm leaning towards Amy."

Flack and Stella went into the room where Crystal was.

" I don't understand why I was brought here. I would've answered any questions you have."

Stella sat down.

" We found the murder weapon, the one that killed your father."

" That's good news, but why bring me here to tell me that?"

" Your fingerprints were found on the gun," Flack told her," Plus, it was registered to your father, .22 caliber."

Crystal sat back.

" I can explain that. My father told me he got that for me. I told him I didn't want it. I did fire it one time though. Where did you find it?"

" That doesn't matter," Stella told her.

Crystal looked at them both and stood up.

" I didn't kill my father. I wouldn't."

" Sit down," Flack told her.

Crystal did.

" My father meant everything to me. I saw you brought Amy in too. Did she do it?"

" The details are still coming together," Stella told her," Did you know where your father kept that gun?"

Before she could answer, there was a knock on the door. Flack went to answer it and Mac stood there.

" We'll be right back," Flack told her.

Flack and Stella left the room, shutting the door behind them.

" Did she tell you anything?"

" Nothing that helps," Stella answered," How's Noelle?"

" Better that her mother is here. I'm going to work something out to where Noelle can go stay with her mother for awhile."

Stella then looked in the room where Amy was.

" I want to know what she's hiding," Stella said," The proof is there. Amy was at Noelle's apartment."

" They both have questions to answer," Mac said," Let's continue to talk to Crystal. The answers are right here and we're going to find out."

The three of them went back into the room. Crystal stood up.

" I need to get home. What else do you need to know? You want to know where my father kept that gun? He kept it in his desk at work. One of the drawers had a false bottom. If you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't look for it."

Crystal sat back down.

" I don't know what else to say. I didn't kill him. I wouldn't put it past Amy though. May I go home now? If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help."

Mac nodded his head.

" We'll be in touch with you."

Crystal ended up leaving the building. Mac looked into the other room.

" Now it's time to find out what she knows."


	13. Chapter 13

Amy didn't do anything when the door opened and the three detectives came in.

" Oh look who it is, it's the big honcho, Detective Mac Taylor. You want to tell me why I was brought here? I didn't like being dragged away from work like I'm some common criminal."

" You have some questions to answer," Mac told her," I would appreciate the cooperation Ms. Winchester."

Amy sat back.

" Fine. What the hell do you want to know?"

" You want to tell us why you were at Noelle Foster's apartment?" Stella asked her.

Amy shook her head.

" I was no where near Noelle's apartment."

" Your fingerprints tell us a different story," Mac told her,

Amy again shook her head. Stella then showed her something else, the baseball tickets.

" You want to tell us why we found those in your desk?"

" That's an easy one. Dr. Jenkins asked me to gold unto them for him. He didn't want his kids to find it. He was planning on taking his two young brats to the game."

" Those kids are now going to grow up without their father," Mac told her.

" I know that. What are you looking for here? I didn't have anything to do with Russell's death. I loved the man and he loved me. Is it a crime to be in love?"

Mac looked at the Amy and showed her the envelope.

" What's this?"

" Your fingerprints," Mac told her," On this and do you know what we found inside?"

" I have no idea and I don't care. What's this got to do with me? You're wasting your time questioning me when the real killer is out there."

" This envelope was found outside of Noelle's apartment with a .22 caliber inside, the weapon the killed Dr. Jenkins," Stella told her.

Amy looked around the room.

" Then why are you talking to me? Go talk to Noelle. It's obvious she's trying to get your attention."

" What are you talking about?" Mac asked her.

" You're the detective, you figure it out. Do I have to do your job for you? Noelle always wants attention. It's why she so screwed up. Now if you don't have anything else, I need to go. You can't keep me here."

" You can leave for now, but fair warning, don't leave town," Mac told her.

Amy got up.

" I wouldn't dream of it."

Amy left the room.

" You know what," Flack said," I don't like her and I don't believe her. She's hiding something."

Mac nodded his head.

" We need to get back to the lab. The answers are out there."

Stella and Mac went back to the lab. Danny was in one of the rooms going over some audio tapes that were found in Amy's desk. Mac asked Danny to go back to the lab and check out the audio tapes and the prescription bottle that Noelle had.

" Anything interesting Danny?" Mac asked.

Danny shook his head.

" These tapes contain conversations between Dr. Jenkins and his clients. Most of them were with Noelle Foster. Noelle talks about everything. This is heartbreaking stuff. Nothing we can use, it wouldn't be fair to her. That girl has led a hard life. I feel sorry for her. Nobody deserves to be treated that way. Ignored and disowned by your father. Makes me wonder if he's hiding something."

" Keep working on it Danny," Mac told him.

Mac left the room and Danny looked at Stella.

" Something wrong?"

" I feel like I'm invading doctor/patient rules. Noelle does talk about everything. Including how she has fallen for an older man. I was shocked at who she was talking about. Stella, Noelle has a crush on Mac."

Stella nodded her head.

" You knew?"

" Noelle told me all about it. It's a harmless crush. Noelle wouldn't do somthing crazy just to get attention."

" We can't use this Stella. This is private. Why was the secretary taping these sessions?"

" That's something we need to ask her."

Meanwhile, Mac went to another area of the lab where Hawkes was.

" Sheldon what did you get on the prescription bottle?"

" It's legit Mac. No signs of tampering. How's Noelle doing?"

" Much better. Her mother is now with her."

Sheldon nodded his head.

" When she passed out here I didn't know what to think. I was worried about her."

" Noelle is going to be fine. Right now, I've got somewhere to be."

Mac went out of the lab and headed over to the Jenkins home. The door was answered by Crystal.

" Detective. What can I do for you?"

" I'm here to see your mother."

Sandra showed up behind her daughter, who then went into the other room.

" What can I do for you?"

Mac handed her the tickets that were in the evidence bag.

" These belong to you. They were found in Amy Winchester's desk."

Sandra shook her head.

" Russell told me about this. He ended up telling Gary and Cecilia about this. They were so excited about it."

" You still have time. It's why I'm here."

Sandra nodded her head.

" I was wondering why you had Crystal brought in for questioning. She wouldn't harm her father."

" Of course I wouldn't," Crystal said coming back into the room," My father was the greatest."

" Did you know your husband owed a gun Mrs. Jenkins?"

Sandra shook her head. Mac looked at Crystal.

" Why did your father think you needed a gun?"

" There's been a rash of attacks on campus lately. My father thought I needed protection. I told him I know how to protect myself without a gun."

" Crystal why didn't you say anything to me about it?" Sandra asked.

" Mom it doesn't matter. What matters now is to find who's responsible for dad death. I know it was Amy. Nobody wanted my father dead more then her."

" Why do you think that?"

" Do I have to spell it out for you? Amy goes after what she wants and if she gets burned she makes them pay. Now if you excuse me, I have work to do."

Crystal went back into the other room.

" She's taking what happened to her father hard. I've met Amy before and she wasn't exactly friendly."

" You ever meet Noelle Foster?"

" Noelle? Yes. Sweet girl, but very disturbed. I don't think she would kill Russell."

" Neither do I. Thanks for your time."

Mac left the house and called Flack to bring Amy back in. Amy knew something and Mac was determined to find out what it is.


	14. Chapter 14

Mac was in one of the interrogation rooms when Flack brought Amy back in. Amy wasn't amused and said what was on her mind.

" By the time this is all over, I'm going to rich. I'm going to sue this department for harassment and the crime lab. Why am I here again?"

" Do you want to tell me why you had recorded sessions of Dr. Jenkins and his clients?" Mac asked her.

" That's none of your business. That's considered doctor/patient privacy."

Flack looked at her.

" You were invading that privacy. Why were they in your desk?" Flack asked.

" Russell asked me to. So what else do you want to know? Dr. Jenkins went over those tapes at times. He began to wonder if he was really helping those people. I told him he was. Russell was good at what he did."

" You ever discuss his clients with others?" Mac asked.

" No. That would've been wrong. I took an oath. Nothing left that office. You could've asked me those questions at my office instead of dragging me back in here.

There was a knock on the door and Mac answered it, Stella was standing there.

" Now what?" Amy asked.

" We found something else and you need to answer another question," Stella told her.

" Okay. What is it? It's not like I had anything to do with Russell's death."

" Yes, you did," Stella told her," You and Dr. Jenkins daughter."

Amy looked at Stella.

" That's bull. Why would I want the man I love dead?"

" Because you couldn't be with him. He told you that it was over and it's all recorded on tape. One of our other detectives found it. You threatened Dr. Jenkins," Stella told her.

" So what? That doesn't mean I killed him. People threaten others all the time. Crystal even threatened her father. Why don't you go drag her back in here? Do you know how late it is? This sure has been a long day."

" We're aware of what time it is Amy," Mac told her," Our job isn't done until the case is solved. What were you planning on doing with the information you knew?"

" Nothing. I wouldn't do that. You can't accuse me. This isn't fair. Why don't you leave me alone or help me. You did that for Noelle Foster."

Mac looked at her.

" How do you know that?"

Amy didn't say anything.

" You knew through those tapes," Stella told her," In fact most of those tapes contained information about Noelle."

" Okay, so I listened to them. I got a laugh on how pathetic people are, especially Noelle. She got away with murder almost and instead of going to jail for breaking the law, you kept her out of jail. Noelle was screwed up and I got a laugh out of that."

Mac nodded his head.

" Wait here. We'll be right back."

" Where would I go in a station full of cops?"

The three of them left the room.

" She's not admitting much," Flack said," What else is there? We've got her. Her fingerprints were found at a crime scene."

" So were Crystal's," Stella said," We've got nothing else. Amy's right about one thing, this has been a long day."

" We're close to solving this thing. Keep Amy here," Mac said," I'm going to talk to Crystal again."

Mac headed out of the lab and back to the Jenkins residence. At first there was no answer, but then the door opened at Mac looked at Crystal.

" Not again. What now?"

Mac knew that Crystal didn't like what was going on.

" May I come in?"

" Do I have a choice?"

" I could get a warrant if you want me to."

" That's not necessary. What do you need now?'

Mac came in and set down his kit.

" I need to check you hands."

" Why?"

" Gunshot residue."

Crystal only nodded her head. Mac quickly checked her hands and it came back positive.

" You have gunshot residue on you hands."

" So? I told you I did fire that gun once and it wasn't at my father."

" I need you to come with me."

" I'm not going anywhere with you detective. Leave me alone. Get out."

" I can't do that. I could just arrest you for the murder of your father."

Crystal went to the door.

" Okay, but you're making a mistake. Amy killed my father, I know it."

Crystal went with Mac back to the station. The case was close to being solved and the time to find out was now.


	15. Chapter 15

Crystal went back to the precient with Mac, but wasn't happy about it. She was put into another interrogation room.

" I'll be right back," Mac told her.

" I don't understand why I'm here. I didn't kill my father. My father was the greatest. He doesn't have any enemies. The only one who has motive to kill him was Amy."

" Why do you think that?"

" Amy wanted to be with my father, but he chose his family. Amy hated that. I heard what she said to him. Amy also went on and on about Noelle had how pathetic her life was. Noelle did have her share of problems, but she doesn't have a motive. My father helped her. Now with this, I don't know how to explain how she feels. Noelle is devastated or at least I think she is. When I talked to her the other day, she was crying."

Mac sat down.

" Go on. What did you hear Amy say?"

" That she was going to make my father pay for breaking her heart. Amy acts like nothing happened one day and then her attitude changes. When she came out of my father's office one day, she was furious. I heard her, but then I just let it go. You can't change the past."

Crystal sighed.

" This is all so hard. I feel like my whole world is crashing down. This pain is so real. I hated my father for cheating on my mom, but I forgave him. I gave him a second chance. Now my father is gone and I know Amy had something to do with it. May I go home now?"

Mac got back up.

" Not just yet. I need to go and talk to Amy."

" What else do you need from me? I don't know what else I can tell you."

" This will all be over soon. Did Amy know that your father owned a gun and kept it in his desk?"

Crystal shook her head.

" I have no idea. Amy thinks she knows everything about my father. Maybe she did."

Mac nodded his head and went out of the room and went into another one where Amy was. Amy looked at him with a frown on her face.

" I know you can hold me for a certain amount of time, but this is insane detective."

Mac sat down and looked at her.

" Do you have something to say to me Detective Taylor or do I get to go home? It's after 7 p.m, you know?"

" I'm aware at what time it is and you're not going anywhere."

" Then I want to call my lawyer."

The door opened and in came Stella with Flack. Stella had her kit with her.

" What's this?" Amy asked.

" I need to check your hands," Stella told her.

" Is that necessary? What for?"

Mac again looked at her.

" Did you know Dr, Jenkins owned a gun and kept it in his desk?"

" Yes, but that doesn't mean I killed him."

" You have motive and opportunity," Mac told her.

" What's my motive?"

" Dr. Jenkins called off the affair and chose his family," Flack told her," That must've been heartbreaking?"

Amy just nodded her head.

" May I check your hands?" Stella asked her.

" What if I said no? Then what would you do?"

There was silence in the room. Amy then gave up and Stella checked her hands.

" You have gunshot residue on your hands," Stella told her.

" Which means?"

" It means you're not going anywhere," Mac told her," You're staying here."

" For the last time, I didn't kill him. You're wasting your time. The real killer is out there. Go find them."

" We'll find them. Until then, sit tight."

Amy crossed her arms.

" You're going to regret this."

Mac just left the room. Amy shook her head.

" You're all going to regret this."

Outside Stella shook her head.

" There's not doubt in my mind," Stella said," Amy did it. She shot Dr. Jenkins and planted the gun outside Noelle's apartment. Her fingerprints were at the scene."

Mac nodded his head.

" Something else is puzzling you Mac," Flack said," What is it?"

" Crystal, her fingerprints are on the gun and she also had gunshot residue on hands. The only thing we do know is that Noelle didn't do it."

" So we arrest both of them," Flack said," We have the evidence."

" I need to go talk to Noelle. See what else she can tell me."

" What else can she tell us?" Stella asked," Noelle has been through hell."

Mac just went to the door.

" Hold them both here. I'll be back as soon as I can."


	16. Chapter 16

Mac went to the hospital to talk to Noelle even though it was almost 8 p.m. When he arrived at her room, he saw her mother. Noelle's mother looked up at him.

" She's asleep. At least that helps from worrying all the time."

Mac nodded his head and the two of them went out in the hallway so they wouldn't disturb Noelle.

" Any word? May I take Noelle back with me? It's what she needs detective. Noelle needs to be around people who care about her. It makes me mad knowing that her father doesn't care."

" I'm still working on it. This case is priority, but good news is, Noelle is cleared. We have evidence that excludes her."

Noelle's mother felt better hearing that.

" That is good news. Noelle will be happy to hear that. Did you need to talk to her? I could wake her up."

" That's not necessary. Noelle needs the rest."

" I know she gave you trouble in the beginning. Noelle still feels bad about that."

Mac looked into the room where Noelle was still sleeping.

" Do you mind if I asked you a few questions?"

" Not at all. What do you need to know?"

" Noelle wrote to you about what was going on?"

Noelle's mother nodded her head.

" Did she ever mention any names?"

" Sometimes. She wrote to me about her doctor's secretary."

" Amy Winchester?"

" Yes. At first it seemed like they were friends, but then it changed. I remember Noelle writing to me saying that Amy told her she didn't have a chance with him. My guess is this Amy thought Noelle had her eyes on Dr. Jenkins."

" Anything else?"

Noelle's mother sighed.

"Noellw said Amy got into her face saying that any man would choose her over Noelle. One time Noelle called me and she was so upset. Detective Taylor, my daughter can be difficult, but she learns from her mistakes."

" Did Noelle ever mention the name Crystal Jenkins?"

" Yes. Crystal is a friend of hers. Where are you going with this?"

" The details are still being brought together, but we have evidence that both Crystal and Amy tried to set up Noelle."

The mother gasped.

" That doesn't make sense. I don't believe that. You see how much Noelle needs me. Who do I have to talk to get her probation transferred?"

" You need to talk to her probation officer and the judge who was assigned to her case. In this case, I think Noelle will get it."

The both of them went back into the room.

" Noelle hurt the most after the divorce. She loved her father and she still does, even though he's treating her like she doesn't exist. I want to see her happy again detective, Noelle deserves that."

" She does. When I first met her, I didn't care for her attitude, Noelle frustrated me. Then when I discovered what she went through, I understood it. She isn't a bad person, just misunderstood at times. I'll do what I can to help you, Ms. Kendrick. Noelle will go back with you."

The woman smiled and nodded her head.

" I appreciate that and I know Noelle will too. I tend to repeat myself."

Noelle then ended up waking up.

" Mom."

" Hey, you're awake."

Noelle then happened to see Mac.

" Hi Noelle."

" Hi. You look tired."

" I am, but I'm about to wrap up this case."

Noelle only nodded her head.

" We have both Crystal and Amy in custody."

Noelle didn't understand.

" Both of them? I don't get it. Why both?"

" It's hard to explain. I can't tell you anything else."

" I understand. Crystal wouldn't kill her father."

Noelle laid back down.

" This whole situation stinks. I wish it didn't happen."

" You and me both. I just came by to check on you."

" I'll be fine. I just want to get out of here."

Mac heard her on that. Nobody enjoyed being in the hospital.

" I'll let you get some more rest. I'll talk to you soon."

" You should get some sleep too detective, it's late," Noelle's mother said.

" You have nothing to worry about Noelle, you're free and clear."

Noelle only nodded her head. Mac then left the room and decided him did need some sleep. First thing in the morning, he was going to get the truth. Mac knew that either Amy or Crystal killed Dr. Jenkins and tomorrow he was going to find out who.

Mac went back to the precinct only to see Mrs. Jenkins.

" What's my daughter doing here? Nobody will give me any answers."

" Crystal was brought in for questioning and she's being held for that purpose."

Sandra shook her head.

" I want to take my daughter home. If you have more questions for her, I'll bring her back in the morning. Crystal had nothing to do with her father's murder."

" Mrs. Jenkins.."

" Look detective, it's late. You have my word, just let me take my daughter home. I still believe that Amy Winchester did this."

Mac then went to the back and came back with Crystal.

" Mom."

" Are you okay?"

Crystal shook her head.

" They're treating me like a murder suspect. Amy killed him, I just know it."

" If you have any more questions, call. If you don't then leave us alone."

The two of them then just left the precinct. Mac was certain it was Amy too, but a part of him wanted to find out the whole truth.


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning, Mac went to the precinct to again to talk to Amy who just looked at him when he came into the room.

" Did I have to sit in that awful cell all night? You can't keep me here."

" You're a suspect in a murder investigation Amy. We can hold you for 48 hours if necessary."

Amy shook her head.

" You're trying to get me to admit to something I didn't do. It's not going to work detective. I didn't kill anybody."

" Then why did we find your fingerprints outside of Noelle Foster's apartment?"

" So I went there. I have no reason to hurt Noelle. Why don't you go talk to Crystal? You know she hated her father for being with me. There's your motive against her."

" You also have a motive. Dr. Jenkins ended the affair and you weren't happy with it."

Amy got up.

" You have nothing. Are you going to let me go or are you going to officially arrest me? You haven't done that yet."

Mac nodded his head.

" I'm letting you go with a warning. Don't even think about leaving town."

" I don't' have a reason to and you don't scare me detective."

Amy went out of the room and ended up seeing Crystal.

" You," Crystal said," How could you? Why did you do it?"

" I didn't do anything. I didn't kill your father Crystal."

" Yes, you did and I can prove it. You talked about how you wanted to get the heat off of yourself. So you said that you had an idea."

" It was your idea."

" My idea? I didn't tell you to shoot my father and I sure as hell didn't tell you to set up Noelle."

Amy smiled for she had Crystal right were she wanted her.

" You've been lying to the detectives you also thought Noelle was pathetic. You thought at one point Noelle had a crush on your father, but that's not it, we both know who she was referring to and we made a pact to keep it a secret."

" Shut up Amy. I'm not talking to you any more. You killed my father."

Amy again smiled.

" Your father was amazing in more ways then one and Noelle," Amy stopped talking for a moment," Noelle doesn't have a chance with anyone, including you detective. Why would you want her? Noelle is a nutcase and nothing will ever help her. Noelle will need therapy for the rest of her life."

Amy then went silent. Mac just looked at her. Flack was behind Amy.

" Get her out of here Flack. Lock her back up."

Amy was taken away. Crystal sighed.

" I need to go back home, now that you know the truth."

" I don't think so," Mac told her," Amy didn't shoot your father, you did."

" That's not true. You have no proof of that. Just because I have gunshot residue on my hands doesn't mean I killed him and I wouldn't set up Noelle. You have nothing."

" Why did you come here?"

Crystal shook her head.

" To get the truth out of Amy. My father chose his family over her and it killed her. Amy killed my father because he broke her heart. As for me, I forgave him. It's better to forgive and forget. Now I'm I'm leaving. The truth is right there and you have my father's killer. So do your job and get it out of her."

Flack came back out. Crystal stopped when she saw him.

" She's talking up a storm, but she's not admitting to Russell Jenkins murder."

" Do I have to do your job? I'll get it out of Amy."

" Leave now or I'll lock you back up too Crystal," Mac warned her," You're not making it an easier."

" Go ahead, I don't care."

Neither Mac nor Flack moved so Crystal went out the door.

" So what now?"

" Let Amy cool off for awhile, then we get the truth out of her."

" We've got her Mac. The evidence is there. Why wait?"

" Maybe after a few hours, Amy will finally tells us the truth."


	18. Chapter 18

It was several hours later, Amy was brought back into the interrogation room and didn't look happy.

" You're not going to anything out of me except that I didn't kill anyone. Whatever you have is wrong. How many times do we have to go over this?"

Mac sat down and looked at her.

" Fingerprints don't lie. You can't get past that. Your fingerprints were found outside Noelle Foster's apartment."

" I told you I was there. I went there to check up on her. I got no answer, so I left. Where's Crystal? Didn't you here what I said? Crystal knew what I was going to do. As for Noelle, what does it matter? The girl is a basket case who doesn't know what she wants. Noelle is afraid of going after what she wants."

" Noelle isn't a part of this. I want to know the truth Amy. The evidence is there and it points to you."

Amy put her head down and then looked back up.

" What's it going to take for you to believe me? This was all Crystal's idea. She stood there and watched it."

Amy then realized what she said.

" Crystal stood there when I shot her father. Then she made up an alibi and it was my idea to get the heat off of myself and I thought who better then Noelle."

Mac nodded his head.

" Noelle is trouble detective. In the end, she'll ruin her own life. How can anyone fall for her act? Then again, Noelle didn't make up the fact that she was falling for a man old enough to be her father."

Mac sat back and Amy smiled.

" You haven't figured it out? You didn't pay attention? Noelle has got it bad for you detective and the proof is all there in those tapped sessions. Noelle has a crush on the police detective who arrested her. How pathetic can someone get?"

" Do you know what you just admitted to?"

" Yes, now you better go get Crystal before she decides to skip town and she will if you're not careful."

Mac didn't know what to say to that.

" Cat got you tongue? You know it's possible."

" Come on Amy. You can't escape this. You are the only one who has a motive to kill him."

Amy got up with a look of anger on her face.

" You want a confession? Yes, I was angry. Russell broke my heart and nobody gets away with that. Why should he be happy when I'm so miserable?"

Amy sat back down.

" So now what are you going to do with me? I killed him, so what? One less heartless bastard in this world, but you know what, Crystal knew what I was going to do and she did nothing to stop it. We're both guilty. So why don't you go bring her back in. I'm done, except to tell you again how much Noelle is into you and if you haven't listened to those tapes you should. Noelle goes into very intimate detail."

Amy then couldn't help but laugh.

" I don't see what's funny about this and as for those recorded sessions, their inadmissible, that was between Dr. Jenkins and Noelle. You're officially under arrest."

Amy again then laughed.

" So what I said before can't be used and I thought you were smart. Some detective you are, couldn't even figure that Noelle is in love with you."

Mac went to the door.

" Get her out of here. I'm done with her."

Amy was taken out by another officer and Flack and Stella came up.

"Amy admitted to it, but we also have substantial evidence against Crystal. Go pick her up again. I have someone to see."

Mac then went out the door. Flack and Stella went out the door a few minutes later.

" Who do you think he needs to see?" Flack asked.

" Noelle, tell her it's over. A good man was killed and deserves justice, even if his own daughter is involved," Stella said.

" That sucks. Crystal knew what Amy was going to do and did nothing to stop it."

" It's going to he harder on that family Don. Crystal is about to be arrested for the murder of her own father."

Flack and Stella made their way over to the Jenkin's residence and the door was answered by Mrs. Jenkins.

" Mrs. Jenkins," Stella said," We need to talk to your daughter Crystal."

" I don't know where she is. I've been calling and nobody has seen her. When I woke up this morning Crystal was gone. I was just about to ask my neighbor to watch Gary and Cecilia. I can't leave them alone. Crystal usually leaves a note, but not this time. Why do you need to talk to her again?"

" Amy Winchester was just arrested for the murder of your husband," Flack answered," However, there's evidence against your daughter as well."

Mrs. Jenkins shook her head.

" No, that's not right, that can't be true. Crystal loved her father."

" Do you have any idea where we can find her?"

" I was about to go check the school, she tends to go there when things go wrong. I don't want to believe this. I think I need to make another phone call."

Mrs. Jenkins shut the door.

" Chelesa University, that's where Crystal goes," Stella said.

" We need to find her," Flack said," Before she decides to skip town."


	19. Chapter 19

Mac went to the hospital to talk to Noelle and her mother. He knocked on the door and Noelle turned around to see him.

" Detective Taylor."

Mac noticed that Noelle was packing up.

" Are you going home?"

" As soon as my mom gets back. My mother told me she had something to do. She hasn't been to New York in years, yet she seems to remember her way around."

Noelle sat down.

" I'm glad I'm going home, but I keep thinking if only I took care of myself, I wouldn't have been here in the first place. I feel like I can't make up an excuse for not taking care of myself."

" You're going to be fine Noelle. There's no reason for you to be ashamed."

Noelle sat back.

" I'm glad I was able to talk to you. If I had to talk to someone else during this investigation, I probably would've ran for the hills."

" You look well. It's good to see you feeling better. Plus, Amy Winchester was just arrested for Dr. Jenkins murder."

Noelle seemed surprised.

" So that's it. I have nothing to worry about."

" You were cleared from the start, but there is something else that Amy said that was surprising."

Noelle nodded her head.

" Amy recorded some of Dr. Jenkins sessions and you were one of them."

" Amy told you how I feel. I mentioned that to Dr. Jenkins. I was scared most of the time. I didn't know what to do. If she told you that, then Amy must've told you that.."

" You don't have to say it. I know."

Noelle sighed.

" You don't think it's weird that I found myself attracted to you? I told myself it would go away, but it didn't."

" I'm flattered Noelle."

Noelle managed a smile.

" I know something else. You don't have to stay here. When your mother goes back to Michigan, you can go with her."

Noelle shook her head.

" I thought I couldn't leave, my probation? The DA made that very clear."

" Special circumstances. You need to be with your mother right now."

" How long do I get?"

" As long as you need."

Noelle was speechless and looked at Mac.

" You look like you still need sleep detective. How hard do you work?"

" I stay with the case until it's solved, even if it means sleepless nights."

" I'm sorry I asked, it was none of my business."

" It's not an insult to ask questions Noelle."

Noelle got up.

" How do you feel now that the case is solved?"

" Relief, but around the corner you never know what's going to happen. One case gets solved and then another one shows up, it's never over."

Noelle sat back down.

" Are you feeling better Noelle?"

" I keep thinking about that day in the subway. I caused you so many problems. I remember the look on your face when you told me I was under arrest. Why do you want to help me?"

" I think you deserve a break. You deserve to be happy."

" I am. You just gave me the best news I've heard in years."

Mac sat down.

" I'm sure you'll work things out wherever you're going to be."

" I will. I promise you detective."

" You can call me Mac."

" Mac," Noelle said, " Okay."

Mac then saw Noelle's mother come in.

" Detective Taylor. I didn't think you would come here. Did you come to give Noelle the good news?"

" He told me. It's the best news and I don't know how to say thanks."

" You just did," Mac told her," You're welcome. You two have a good trip back. Let me know how you're doing Noelle."

" I'll be in touch Mac."

Mac nodded his head.

" I've got to get back to the lab. One case gets solved, but other cases need attention."

" You found that doctor's killer?" Noelle's mother asked.

" Amy Winchester. She admitted the whole thing including why she was trying to set Noelle up."

" It was because she wanted to get the heat off of her," Noelle said," I'm glad it's over."

Noelle heard another knock on the door. Noelle was surprised to see Crystal.

" Crystal? How did you know I was here?"

" I…I followed Detective Taylor. I didn't even know you were here. What happened to you?"

" I had a nervous breakdown, but I'm better now," Noelle answered.

Mac went up to Crystal.

" Why did you follow me?"

" I needed to talk to you, but I got the answer. I was standing outside and I heard you. You arrested Amy for killing my father?"

" The evidence was there. However, you save me a trip."

" I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

Mac went outside the room with Crystal.

" What did you need to tell me?"

" This was a mistake. I have to get out of here."

Crystal began to walk away, but then stopped.

" I saw what Amy did. She then threatened me when I wouldn't help her. She was going to tell my father I was failing my classes. I was having such a hard time. College didn't come easy for me."

Crystal sat down and so did Mac.

" You can arrest me first if you have to, but I'll still tell you. I was also there outside Noelle's apartment. Amy thought it would be easy to set up Noelle. I didn't want anything to do with it. All this time, I pretended I didn't know anything and it was eating me up."

Crystal sighed and Mac nodded his head.

" Don't tell me. Amy already told you?"

" Amy told us a different story, that you knew ahead of time that she was going to kill your father."

" I had no idea. I went to see my father and there was Amy standing over my father's body. How could I do this? I'm just as guilty as she is and I'll take my punishment."

Mac stood up and so did Crystal.

" Your mother should be waiting at the precinct."

" My mom? That means you were about to look for me. I'll go with you and whatever questions you need answered, I'll do it."

Noelle came out into the hallway.

" Is everything okay?"

" I'll be fine Noelle," Crystal said," I'm gad your okay and I'm so sorry you went through this."

" I'll talk to you later Noelle," Mac told her.

Noelle just nodded her head and watched Mac walk away with Crystal. Noelle didn't understand what was going on, but maybe for now, she didn't need to know.


	20. Chapter 20

It was two days later, Mac was in his office relieved that no other cases had to be dealt with. The Dr. Jenkins case was wrapped up and nothing more needed to be done. Amy Winchester admitted to the murder and her plan to set up Noelle with the help of Crystal. Amy took a deal to avoid trial. Crystal agreed to probation and community service. Mac was pleased with the outcome and was also happy for Noelle who was given and opportunity to start over again. Stella came into the office and Mac nodded his head.

" You look like you could use some sleep."

" The whole lab could, but you never know what's going to happen. I'm just happy for Noelle. She's able to start over again."

Stella just smiled.

" What's that for?"

" That's where you went the other day. You went to go talk to Noelle's probation officer?"

" I think Noelle deserves a break. She needs to be with some who will look out for her. I wasn't sure about her at first Stella. In fact, I didn't care about Noelle at all."

" We discovered something about her and it gave us an answer to her attitude."

Mac went to the door.

" Noelle is going back to Michigan with her mother today. You want to see her off?"

" We have nothing to work on right now. The Dr. Jenkins case is wrapped up."

" Noelle is going to be happy and there's nothing better I can think of for her."

Stella went out the door behind Mac.

" You know it's just a harmless crush she has on you Mac. I don't know why you heard it from Amy."

" I don't think any less of Noelle. I'm flattered she feels that way. I do care about her though."

Mac and Stella went to Noelle's apartment to see that Noelle and her mother were waiting outside.

" Hi," Noelle said," You came to see me off?"

" We wanted to say that you're going to where you need to be," Stella told her," You look happy."

" I'll be happier when the cab I called for shows up, we have a flight to catch."

" Mom, it's only been a few minutes."

Noelle sat on the steps. Mac went up to her.

" Is something wrong Noelle?"

" I still can't believe what Amy did. I didn't do anything to her."

" You were given a second chance."

" Again."

Noelle got back up.

" I don't know how to thank you for all your help."

" You just did. Don't blow this Noelle. You won't get another one. When you come back to New York, you will have to keep up with your probation."

Noelle nodded her head.

" To answer your question for before, I don't think it's weird. There's nothing wrong with telling someone how you feel."

" I'm sorry about before. How did it change? When you first met me, I wanted nothing to do with it. I wasn't your favorite person Mac."

" No, but you got the benefit of the doubt."

Noelle then saw the cab pull off.

" Off to Michigan we go," Noelle's mother said.

Noelle sighed.

" I'm going to miss New York. I've got used to living here."

Noelle stopped before she got into the cab.

" Thanks to both of you."

" Don't be a stranger," Stella told her," Let us know how you're doing."

" I will, and I'll be back."

" Take your time Noelle," Mac told her," It's what you need."

Noelle walked forward, but then she stopped.

" I'm not so scared anymore. Those words don't sound scary anymore. Just because you get arrested doesn't mean you're automatically guilty. I'll know better next time."

" Hopefully there won't be a next time," Mac told her.

Noelle smiled.

" I have friends here. I won't forget that."

Stella went up to her and hugged her. Noelle accepted it.

" You've got a friend in me kiddo. We're here for you."

Noelle extended her hand to Mac, who shook it.

" Take care of yourself," Mac told her.

Noelle got into the cab and Mac and Stella watched as it drove away.

" She'll be with someone who will care about what happens to her."

" Mac, come on, you care about her. You just said so."

Mac only nodded his head.

" You're not the only one, I care about her too. Do you think she will come back?"

" It's up to her and only time will tell."


End file.
